


The Adventures of Leia & Mila

by SilentRose



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, botw - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - No Calamity, Don't worry, It's just considered Southern Hyrule, Just not as prevalent, Kakariko Village, Monsters, Sheikah Tech isn't as prominent, The Great Plateau doesn't exist, They come into the story, castle town - Freeform, the champions are alive
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-11
Updated: 2020-03-04
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:41:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22918639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilentRose/pseuds/SilentRose





	1. Chapter 1

Shifting in her bed, Leia was woken by the sound of birdsong outside her window. Sitting up in her bed, she yawned, seemingly just as tired as when she collapsed in her bed the night before. Sure, she could live in the big cities, or even the various towns dotted around, but she didn't see the point. It worked for those raised that way, and that was fine to her, it just wasn't how she grew up. She never really knew her parents, and she doesn't know how she learned how to survive, but she didn't like to question things she has no ability to change. After eating a breakfast of spring greens with mushrooms, she decided that she wanted meat tonight for dinner, so she changed into a light hunting outfit which consisted of a pair of shorts that didn't really go to her knees, some socks, a pair of boots and a tank top. It was the middle of summer and was far too hot to go outside in her winter hunting gear. Grabbing her bow and slinging her arrows onto her hip so the fletching pointed from her side, she left her little log cabin in the woods near Batrea Lake that she called home and ventured to the southern-most edge of the forest. While the forest wasn't very big, it was enough for her.

She hunted game in the area infrequently enough that she wasn't worried about the wildlife not having a chance to flourish. If she was really in the mood for meat two nights in a row, she'd make a day trip to a little ways north, following the western edge of Hylia River. Most of the days, she ate fruit and vegetables, maybe some fish if she were in the mood, and she would on the rare occasion treat herself to game meat. She really loved to cook. It took a bit of time, maybe a few hours from the way the sun had adjusted in the sky, till she found a boar. If she could kill it, she'd eat like a queen for a few nights. She knew a few recipes to help keep meat from going bad, but it had to be done within the day the beast died. Pulling an arrow loose from her quiver, she nocked it on her bow and drew the string back, tension mounting in her shoulders as the string drew parallel with her face. Releasing the breath left in her lungs, the moment the last of the air escaped, she let the arrow fly.

Soaring through the air, her arrow hit true, sinking deep into the heart of the boar, dropping it instantly. Rushing forward, she knelt before the great beast and said a prayer to the goddesses.

 **"Thank you Hylia, Eldin, Farore, Lanayru. Without your guidance and help, this beast would have suffered unduly by my hand. Thank you for blessing me with the gift of food before me."** Slinging her bow over her shoulder to rest on her back, Leia takes a deep breath and reaches under the boar. With a grunt, she picks it up and carries it back to her little log cabin. Once there, she set it on the ground and doubles over. Okei, so maybe carrying it here wasn't the best idea but in her defence, she didn't want to ruin the hide. She wasn't very extroverted, leaving her to (after watching a gaggle of women teach a younger girl how to sew, from a distance of course), learned through a bit of trial and error until she was able to make clothes. Even now, if she wanted to make something specific, she had to go through a few phases on the days off when she wasn't out hunting or foraging. When she noticed how sweaty she was from carrying the boar, she decided now was probably the time for a bath.

As she undressed, she thought back to her earlier years, around the time when she was in her tenth summer. The only reason she'd come to wear clothes was because when she went to the nearest settlement to find something she needed, no one would sell to her because she didn't wear clothes. She recalled being confused as to why clothes had anything to do with her coming to buy things. It took weeks, and more than a few barters, but eventually she managed to get her hands on some clothing. Back then, during winter, she would just curl up in an animal's hide in her cabin on her bed, and things worked just fine.

Sliding into the water, she let out a sigh. The cool water of Batrea Lake felt wonderful on her skin. She took a few moments to just relax in the gentle waters, letting her mind wander from one thing to the next. She giggled as she remembers the first time she bled. Not knowing what was wrong, she'd been having stomach cramps for a little while and chalked it up to eating something bad. Then when she bled, she looked all over for a wound but found none. Freaked out, she rushed to the nearest settlement and got there in record time. When she got to the town Healer and explained what was going on, the woman took her hand and explained what was going on, how to ease the pain and what supplies she would need. After that, it just became easier to wear clothes instead of trying to only wear clothes to keep the cottons in place (though that didn't stop her from being naked when it got too hot). Submerging herself underwater completely for a moment, she came back up a moment later.

Pulling her hair out of her eyes, she blinked away the rest of the water. Deciding she'd spent enough time frolicking in the water, she walked back to the shore and came out, picking up her discarded clothing and tossing it in a basket for washing later. Going to the boar, she started skinning and processing it. By the time she was done, she had bones for making tools, meat for eating, fat for burning for light and the sort, hide for clothing and armour, and had buried the unusable parts near the forest. After seasoning the meat to make it last a few days, she went to the four goddesses' shrines she had built and placed an offering on each of them. At this point, in her fifteenth summer, she knew they would be gone by morning. She'd even set traps around them to see if it was an animal, and coming morning, the meat was gone and no traps were triggered. Even if it was the occasional monster (They were rare so relatively close to Hyrule Castle, with the patrols that happen every so often clearing them out for the most part), they would have triggered the trap.

By the time she was done making arrowheads and spearheads with the bones, it was already nightfall. When she pulled out her firestarter, she got to starting the campfire that was under her slab of metal so she could cook. When she was done with her meal, she did one last check of the perimeter, made sure her alarms were secure, and after checking her bow and quiver for any damage, she turned in for the night, sleeping peacefully for the day to come.

Her next few days blended together in much the same way as her previous did. Instead of hunting, she would fish or forage, and sit on her porch and enjoy the slightly cooler summer air, or go swimming.

It was this morning, five days after her takedown of the boar, that something broke the monotony of her daily life. Unfortunately, it would not be for the better, as it was a fist pounding on her door right as the sun came up, giving her maybe four hours of sleep. At first, she was just keen to ignore it, figuring it to be some kids pulling a prank. As it went on, she got more and more agitated until she got up, strolled over to the door as bare as the day she was born, and threw open the door with a glare. In front of her was a guard with his fist raised, flanked by a dozen more troops, male and female alike, all with a curious look on their face. Then their faces turned to one of embarrassment simultaneously. That was a pretty cool little trick, maybe they should be performers.

When no one spoke, Leia had finally had enough. **"If you don't tell me why you woke me up at goddesses knows what hour within three seconds, I will nail your ass to the door." **After a moment of stuttering, the man, **'More like the boy'** Leia thought derisively, spoke up.

 **"Ma'am, you aren't dressed, plea-"** He was shut up by a clearly annoyed sigh and the guards barely caught the tail end of her mumbling.

 **"-an't say I didn't warn you."** During his stuttering, she had grabbed the bone knives from the table that was slightly behind her and with an almost bored efficiency, walked past him, turned on her heel, shoved him against her now closed door, and proceeded to pin him in place by stabbing the cloth of his armour until he was fully pinned to door, pointing her last bone knife at his throat. All of this happened in the span of a second and a half. After the all-too-expected gasp, she heard the guards all lower their spears at her behind her, encircling her. **"I did warn you that I would nail your ass to the door. I'm in a real bad mood, so tell me what you want or go the hell away." **It was then that the guard she'd pinned to the door had the balls to speak up.

 **"We're here to buy this land from you in the name of the king!"** This just made Leia quirk her eyebrow.

 **"Look, I'm no expert at dealing with fancy pants stuff like kings, but isn't sending soldiers to do this a bit...aggressive?"** She asked, trying to be polite and not stab this man in any of his squishy Hylian organs. It was then that the woman behind her spoke up.

 **"Please unhand Private Louis. I am the commander in charge of these troops, Sgt Marie. If you have any qualms or questions, direct them to me."** Then Leia turned to look at the woman. Flipping her knife idly in her hand, she addressed the woman.

**"You must really dislike this Louis guy."**

**"Why do you believe that to be the case?"**

**"Because you sent him to knock on the door of someone you consider dangerous and didn't do it yourself."**

**"What makes you think we consider you dangerous?"** Leia gave her a look like she was stupid.

**"You came to my door to talk about selling my land, which by the way belongs to Farore, not us, with a dozen armed guards. If that doesn't tell you the king is scared, I don't know what will."**

**"Speak another ill word of the king and I'll have you arrested for treason!"** The threat of confinement snapped something in Leia's mind. She would not be confined under any circumstance. Leia got in her face, pointing the bone knife at her throat.

 **"If you try to confine me, you won't leave here alive. With twelve people, sure, you'll probably succeed, but I will make it my mission to kill you and sir pissed-his-pants back there personally."** She said, pointing back at Private Louis. **"So, I'm giving you this one chance. Leave me be, this land isn't for sale. Trespass here again on orders of anyone and I won't hesitate to kill you. Got it?" **There was a deadly glint in Leia's eye when she told the guard this.

**"You speak of Farore, yet you're planning on taking lives?"**

**"In protection of Farore, yes. I've seen what people have done to the forests, the wilderness. They take and take and take and never give back. Hylians are by far the worst at it! What in the goddesses names do you need all of that land for, and still not have enough that you come begging for a tiny piece of land? I won't allow that to happen to my home."**

**"If you're so concerned about taking,"** She says smugly, **"Then why are you living here, on the forest's resources?"**

 **"Because, they have always provided for me so long as I pay them the respect they deserve. I pray, I give offerings, and when I am in need of help, they provide it."** As Leia keeps speaking, she walks over to a bush and pulls out a spear she had stashed there. **"You have ten seconds to leave. That is not a request." **As each second went by, Leia got more and more tensed, ready to leap into combat. At about the eight-second mark, the woman ordered her troops to turn and leave. Only when they were out of earshot did Leia finally collapse to the ground, shaking. The reason she didn't live around others was because she felt confined in places like that. She wasn't meant to be confined, she was afraid if she was confined too long, it'd kill her, at least on the inside. Hiding the spear back inside the bush, she went and collapsed back into bed, the combination of sleep deprivation and adrenaline dump fraying her nerves, tears pouring from her eyes as she cried herself to sleep.

The following few days were rough on Leia. Every morning, she woke with a start, afraid to see soldiers standing outside her door. If a tree creaked, it sounded like the steps of soldiers, if she was sharpening a tool, the slide of metal on metal reminded her of their spears. She didn't go out for days. On the day she ate the final meal of her stock of food, she went out to Nabi Lake, east of her cabin to do laundry. She wasn't sleeping well, being constantly on guard fried her brain. As she was sitting, scrubbing her clothes clean, the warm sun concentrating on her skin felt nice, as she started to doze off. She startled awake when she heard a splash. Looking around quickly, she didn't see anything other than the rippling water.

A few minutes later, she was startled awake by the sound of rushing water and a thud next to her. In a frenzy of fear, she brandished her wash-basket as a defence between herself and the sudden intruder. It was at seeing her like this that her intruder spoke in a light, sweet voice. **"Oh, my apologies, I was unaware of someone living here. I hope I didn't scare you too much, I was just out for a swim and got a little lost in having a bit of fun."** After the initial fear subsided, Leia set down her wash-basket and looked at the girl in front of her. She was a Zora. Her red scales shone beautifully from still being wet, the front of her body covered in scales so bright white from the water they nearly blinded. She noticed the girl had on quite a bit of jewellery.

**"It's fine, really... just had a rough couple of days is all."**

**"Oh! Pardon me, my name is Mipha, it is lovely to meet you, miss...?"**

**"That's a really pretty name. My name is Leia."** She says with a smile. This earns her one in return, which makes her cheeks burn some. **"I've never seen you before, what brings you to my secluded corner of the world?"**

 **"Well... It is quite...unexciting, I suppose. I got into a fight with my father, so I needed to calm down."** Leia, however, found that to be one of the most exciting things she's heard.

**"What do you mean unexciting? I've always wondered what that was like!"**

**"Getting into a fight with your father? Its good news to hear that you are on such good terms with your parents then."** Mipha replies. Leia just shakes her head.

 **"No, having a father."** Mipha's face contorts into one of concern and worry. Suddenly, Leia feels she's stepped on a landmine, like she's really messed up. **"I-I'm sorry! Did I say something wrong? I take it back, whatever it was, so please don't be upset!"**

 **"No no, please, I'm the one who should apologize, I said something so careless without thinking."** Leia let out a sigh of relief.

**"Don't worry about it, I can't really miss what I've never experienced, ya know?"**

They went on like that, back and forth about any and everything they could. It helped with communication that Mipha didn't care that she was naked, after all, she doesn't think she's ever seen a Zora wear Hylian clothes. At some point, she apparently drifted off, as when she woke up, the first thing her eyes met was beautiful amber orbs staring back at her, the sunset in the background doing wonderful things to the lighting around them.

 **"Shit, sorry, I guess I was more tired than I expected."** Mipha just giggled, and Leia made it her mission to hear that sound again.

 **"No no, don't worry. I'm glad my presence was able to bring you comfort."** It was then that she felt the soft squishy scales and leg muscles underneath her that she realized that her head was resting in Mipha's lap, which made her blush for reasons she's intent on interrogating herself on later. When Leia gets up, she decides to give fishing a go since she needed food, she didn't bring her bow or a spear so it was just using her hands for now. With the help of Mipha, she was able to easily catch more than enough for herself and Mipha, for several nights in a row even. Leia told herself she'd put off fishing again for a month to let the fish repopulate.

 **"Would you mind eating with me, Mipha? I don't often get company, and very rarely is it good company at that."** She was a little shy for some reason. Suddenly a thought rushed to her mind, of what if she hadn't cleaned up her home recently.

 **"That would be lovely, Leia."** Leia fully enjoyed hearing the beautiful, tall Zora woman say her name. They walked back to her home in comfortable silence, each revelling at having made a new friend and companion. When they got back, Leia showed Mipha how she cooked the fish and how she made sure the food would stay good. **"Wow, Leia, you really could become a professional with how you cook!"** The smaller girl just shrugged. She wasn't really planning on leaving the forest, not permanently.

Her goal was really to just live. The forest was all she really knew as a home, so it felt... wrong, somehow, to consider a different home. Suddenly, there was a clatter of loud hoofbeats through the forest. Eyes darting around, she reached for her hidden spear and took her stance to face down the intruders. She felt Mipha press her back against hers, spear in hand and ready to fight as the hoofbeats started circling them. **"It could be anywhere from two to ten. It's hard to tell with the dampening of the forest."** Mipha nodded, determined. From the brush, six Bokoblin, all riding horses charged at them. Mipha and Leia set about taking jabs at the Bokoblins, not aiming to kill them but to demount them.

They didn't want to accidentally hit the horses so their jabs were just testing the waters so to speak, ducking out of the way of their club swings. When the only blue Bokoblin got too close, Leia thrust her spear through its throat, and chaos ensued. The horse it was riding, a magnificent red-coated mare, bucked it off and launched her legs back kicking the nearest red Bokoblin rider off its horse, a moment later being trampled by the same horse it was riding. With a glance back, Leia's concern for her companion vanished as she had seen her Zora friend fight. It was like watching moving water, flowing like the gentlest dance she'd ever seen.

As Mipha was surrounded by three red Bokoblin, she spun, twirling her spear in her hands bludgeoning two of the Bokoblins with the blunt end of her spear and slashing the throat of the third Bokoblin which was mid-air in a crude jump attack, it falling dead where she had been a moment before as she pirouetted away. Severing a leg at where their kneecap would be, she swung low as she lunged (though it looked like she was barely trying to Leia) and stabbing the Bokoblin through the chest and into the heart. As the last Bokoblin surrounding her tried its own crude jump attack, screaming its grubby little head off, Mipha raised the blunt end of her spear, uppercutting the Bokoblin, sending it flying.

With a graceful turn, Mipha threw her spear into and through the head of one bokoblin and into the chest of the remaining one, the skewer of Bokoblins dropping to the ground. With a sigh, Mipha turned to Leia, glad it was over. Unfortunately, with her back turned, Mipha wasn't able to see the Bokoblin stand up with the head of the spear in its hand. Leia reacted as quickly as she could. Rushing to Mipha's side, time seemed to slow down. When she reached Mipha, she dove to push her away in time, taking the shard of the spear into her back and through her chest. With her last remaining strength, she pulled the Bokoblin off her back and bashed its skull into the ground, killing it, before she passed out.


	2. Chapter 2

When she woke next, her eyes were blurry and unfocused, and her body ached and throbbed. Groaning, she went to sit up and immediately pushed back down, albeit gently, by a hand barely bigger than her own. Just then, memories of the attack came back in full force, causing her to startle and look around quickly for her friend.

 **"It's okei Leia, I'm alright, I'm here. You're safe."** Mipha cooed at her gently. After the panic subsided, she noticed everything had a... blue tint to it. At the confused look on her face, Mipha responded kindly. **"We're in Zora's Domain, the Capital city of the Zora people."** She was shocked, to say the least. How did she get all the way to the Lanayru Province?

 **"H..w lon..was I out?"** Leia croaked, her voice apparently unused to speaking. Mipha, at hearing this, gained a pained look in her eye.

 **"Two weeks."** The crimson Zora responded. This caused Leia to shoot up, panic in her eyes. Before she could do much in the way of getting up or even moving further, she got light headed and would have collapsed if not for Mipha catching her.

 **"Wh..why here?"** The younger girl asked.

**"I didn't have the supplies I needed to treat your wounds, so I swam with you on my back up the river."**

**"Thank you...I have to get home. Those guards could be back any day!"**

**"Please, you have to stay in bed! Even with my healing magic, you were barely able to survive!"** Leia's protests were cut off by her hacking and coughing, blood coming out in her hand. **"You've reopened the wound, please, lay back down."** With a gentle push, Mipha made her lay down, all the fight gone from her body. As the blanket over her bled a deep crimson, Mipha placed her hands over Leia's chest, a magic blue-green light pouring from her hands and enveloping her small body. Immediately, she felt the changes, her body stitching itself back together. While it held together, it wasn't perfect and would reopen again if she were to stress her body. With a thump, Mipha sat down on the bed at Leia's side, panting from exertion.

With a scaled hand, she reached over and gently closed Leia's eyes, the same light again coming from her hand, with a murmured **"Sleep, dear friend, you've earned your rest."**

The next weeks were a precarious time for her body. She had to constant and severe fevers from her body fighting off infections, slipping back into unconsciousness for hours at a time after only a few minutes awake. Even tossing and turning from nightmares reopened the wounds in her chest and heart. Mipha was by her side day and night, feeding and washing her, taking care of her friend as best as she could. By her second month bedridden, Leia was conscious more often than not, though it still took her a long while to wake up, and a bit longer to get oriented. Her heart hurt her daily, but it started to calm down and only hurt when she pushed herself by the third month.

It was on a seemingly normal day, shortly after she had woken up, that a massive Zora walked into the room, easily three of her put together and then some. Looking up, she made eye contact with him, her face still weary.

 **"Ah, I'm glad you're awake young heroine, you had us worried for quite some time there. Has my daughter been kind to you?"** This made Leia tilt her head in confusion. She wasn't keen on stressing her vocal cords if she could help it. Once one thing started to hurt, everything started to hurt. **"Mipha, little one."** At his response to her confusion, her eyes lit up in joy, nodding enthusiastically, making the man laugh heartily in his deep baritone voice. Then, as the door opened, a familiar sweet voice rang out.

 **"You called for me Father?"** Mipha stepped up next to her father, smiling sweetly at seeing Leia awake. When she'd left to get water for the injured girl, she'd still been deeply asleep. The soft slap of her fins against the stone was all that could be heard for the moment it took for her to walk to Leia's bedside.

 **"Just the girl we were speaking of! I came to see for myself what kind of person saved my dear daughter."** He announced jovially, as his daughter helped her saviour sit up so that she may drink. She had to remind the injured girl to drink slowly, her ward nearly drowning herself in her haste to gain relief from her dry throat. Once she was done, she cleared her throat. This was the first time she was awake and lucid enough to have a proper conversation since her injury.

 **"Thank you, Mipha. How I see it, mister, is that if it weren't for me, she wouldn't have been in danger. So there's no reason for any praise. I just didn't want to lose a valuable friend."** Leia finished, coughing a little, still not used to talking so much at once. The large Zora man in front of her raised his eyebrow, or at least the Zora equivalent of one. Mipha rushed to speak, putting down the container that had had water in it for her companion.

**"We were having a meal at Leia's cabin when Bokoblins attacked us, they were riding horses. We managed to take care of most of them, but I failed to ensure the last one had died when I threw my spear at the final two. My loss of attention in that one moment almost killed someone...I am a failure as a princess of our wonderful lands Father."**

**"Mipha..."** He said, trailing off, wanting to comfort his daughter but unsure how. Leia's mind caught up with the conversation, still slightly sluggish from sleep and exhaustion from her constant battling of infections and fevers.

 **"Wait...You're a princess?"** Her father - the King, she realized - stared at Leia with a blank expression for a silent minute, until he burst out laughing. After a moment of wiping the tears from his eyes, he looked into her tired eyes with ones of mirth.

 **"Dear heroine, are you saying you didn't realize my daughter was the Princess of the Zora kingdom when you saved her?"** The girl in question nodded.

 **"Like I said, mister King, I just wanted to save a friend. Life shouldn't be wasted, regardless of the form. There are only two reasons I kill Monsters. They don't die naturally; they give nothing back to Farore when they die. They are aggressive, they harm innocent people."** Her response, while ending with a harsh cough, earned her the King's respect, clear as could be in his eyes.

 **"If there was one thing you could ask for in return for saving Mipha, what would it be?"** He asked, sober, serious. She went to scratch her head in thought but flinched at the tug on her wound, putting her arm down. After taking a moment, she's able to calm herself enough to respond.

 **"While I don't think anything is necessary... I'd like the chance to help more. I'm not looking for revenge, nor would I hesitate to do it again if put back in time. I just want to help good people get home at the end of the day."** The King, Dorephan, nodded seriously. It was then that Mipha helped Leia lay down when she noticed the girl had fallen asleep. Taking the chance to walk away, they left the room quietly. When they were down the hall, Mipha spoke up.

 **"Father... She's not getting better. I'm only barely able to keep up with mending her wounds day after day. What can we do to help her?"** Dorephan stopped, Mipha almost running into him. **"Father...?"**

**"Mipha... My sweet girl. I have a plan but...You won't like it. It will put her in more danger...but without it, she will die. I want to give the girl who saved your life another chance at her own..."**

**"Father...You aren't thinking of doing that ritual, are you? It's said to be the most excruciating pain a soul can go through! I won't allow you to put her through that!"** Her father sighed, weary with the weight of this burden on his shoulders.

 **"It isn't up to us at this point, dear child. It is up to her. Whilst I bring her the option, the only one who can choose for her is herself. I am certain she's capable of fantastic things. I just want her to have a chance."** Mipha was quiet after that, all the way back to her room. She knew Leia wasn't going to wake up for a while, so she was going to get what sleep she could.

\------

Leia woke that night, screaming for Mipha, tearing through the room, fighting off invisible enemies, candlestick in her hand like a spear stabbing at anything she perceived to have moved. Guards came rushing in on Mipha's flank, her having summoned them at the fear that someone was attacking her Leia. That was...a weird thought. She'll question it later. Holding her hand out for the guards to stay back, her heart broke at what she saw.

Leia was bleeding, swinging wildly and crying Mipha's name, begging, pleading. She didn't even need to see her dilated eyes to know what it was. **"Battle Fatigue..."** The guards behind her let out a sombre note, a solemn tone. They all had bore witness to comrades who fell prey to their minds after a difficult and emotionally intense battle. Rushing forward, Mipha gracefully dodged the stabs taken at her and grabbed the girl's cheeks, making her look into her amber eyes. After shaking and whimpering for a solid, sorrow-filled minute, her eyes cleared, and she buried her pale face in her friend's neck. Picking up Leia when her legs gave out, she turned to find her father and one of the guards that was with her seemingly a moment ago. When she looked at her friend, she knew she was dying. Healing her would only delay the inevitable by a short while. her heart was rent, losing too much blood too quickly.

Taking this chance, Dorephan asked her. **"We can give you what you wanted, we can give you a way to save people, is that what you want to do?"** She could only loll her head back and forth, but the fire in her eyes was enough for him to take it as consent. With a nod to his disheartened daughter, he led them to the room he had prepared just in case something along these lines happened. Motioning for her to set the dying girl in the circle, the King goes about making sure the ritual is set up properly before starting.

As the priestess and the king started chanting, Mipha felt the fear in her body amplify tenfold. After about a minute, Leia started screaming, clearly in the worst pain of her life, her screaming starting to shred her vocal cords. Mipha started bawling her eyes out, hiding her face in her hands, shaking from sobbing so hard. The ritual continued on like this for hours.

\------

The next time she woke up her eyes opened to reveal an unfamiliar ceiling above her, and a gentle rocking soothing her mind. She'd started drifting off again when a splash rang through the room she was in, making what was rocking her speed up suddenly. With a lurch, she was up and fell into the water beneath her bed. Panicking, she thrashed, but noticed she didn't have to hold her breath. She could breathe water?! After a rather clumsy shuffle to the top of the water, she emerged and her heart beat so fast she'd worried she'd torn through the healing magic holding her heart together.

Mipha was staring at her, in shock, tears rolling down her face. Suddenly, you were tackled onto the solid land of the room. After the dizziness cleared from your eyes, you realized you were sitting in her lap, being held to her chest. After a moment, she noticed the smaller girl's suffocating and eased up on the hug, still not letting go.

**"Mi...pha. Ho...w did you gr..ow so much?"**

**"What? What're you talking about? Oh! You must not have seen your new body yet."** At the quizzical look shot her way, Mipha reached over and handed her a mirror. When she reached out to grab it, instead of her normal, pale hand, a deep blue, tiny hand reached out. Flexing the fingers on her hand, she saw it was indeed hers. Grabbing the mirror, she couldn't really believe what she saw. Staring back at her in the mirror was a tiny, dark blue Zora with a white facing, the same amber eyes of her beloved Mipha's, and the razor-sharp teeth indictive of the Zora race.

 **"I...became a Zora?"** She asked, not believing the scenario at first.

 **"I...I'm sorry. It was the only way to save your life...I'm sorry. You're mad aren't you?"** This made the small Zora 'child' turn to her elder.

 **"Mad?! THIS. IS. AWESOME!"** Mipha was taken aback, quite stunned.

 **"Um...what?"** She needed time to process this reaction, apparently.

**"I didn't even know this kind of magic was possible! That's so cool!"**

**"Um...do you have any questions or anything?"  
**

**"Probably a million."** She said with a straight face.

 **"Well...that's fine. But first, I must tell you something. You can't speak of this ritual, or of being a Hylian, to anyone. Ever. It could outright cause a war. And while we're on the topic of secrecy, you need a new name. I'm sorry, but we can't have anyone track you down which also means...You can't go home." **Mipha looked like she was going to cry. To be honest, the biggest blow to the now Zora girl was that she couldn't go home. She felt a little numb.

**"Um... How about Mila?"**

**"You...know of Zora naming conventions?"** This just made Lei- Mila - shake her head.

 **"I don't know anything about fancy pants things like naming conventions, I've just seen a lot of Zora from afar and caught on how names were usually set up. Plus, it is a combination of things dear to me."** This made Mipha tilt her head. Seeing this, the smaller Zora went on. **"Well... the 'la' is from Lanayru."**

 **"And 'mi'?"** Mila blushed and looked away. Darting her eyes to her companion, she nodded at her, which made the older woman blush scarlet. **"O-oh. That's flattering. I'm honoured to be able to be with you always in this way."** Hearing the words from her friend, Mila smiled shyly. Suddenly, Mila's eyes lit up.

 **"Important question! How old am I like this?"** Mipha answered her question with one of her own.

**"How many summers were you when we met?"**

**"Fifteen."**

**"Then you're four. The body that was created for you had to be at the turning point of going from an egg into a tadpole"**

**"It's been A YEAR?!"**

**"Well...actually its been fifteen months."** Mila needed a moment to process everything. Just a year ago, she had been a reclusive Hylian girl, just going about living her life. Now? Now she was a tiny Zora who was homeless, with no goal in life.

**"Uhm...is there anywhere I can stay till I get on my feet? I'm more than happy to pull my own weight."**

**"You'll be staying here of course. You're much too young to be on your own. We need to make sure you're healthy and at least as knowledgeable on Zoras as the commoner is at your age. Hylians especially will ask you questions. We also have to get you to pretend you know nothing about them, either."**

**"You shouldn't be too worried on that last part, Mipha, I genuinely don't know much about Hylian society. I've always lived alone. Um... How do you plan on getting me so much information?"**

**"Oh,"** Mipha said, a small smile on her face. **"By sending you to school, of course."**

 **"School? What is that? Is it tasty?!"** Mila asks, eyes shining brightly, causing Mipha to giggle. Vaguely, she remembered a promise she'd made to herself and smiles. Standing up in Mipha's lap, she looks on, excitedly waiting for Mipha to answer.

 **"No no, it's a place where they send children to learn things about the world. You learn in a big group of other children. It allows you to be better at socializing."** With a nod, Mila put her tiny hands on her tiny hips and smiles wide, her sharp, shark-like teeth glinting from the lights in the walls.

 **"Let's go!"** Right as she went to take a step off of Mipha's lap, the older girl picked her up and cradled in her arms giggling. 

**"We'll go tomorrow. I want you to rest for tonight, tomorrow we need to run some tests and make sure you're healthy. If you are, we'll help you learn how to walk with your new centre of gravity, and we'll teach you the basics of how to swim."** Mila tilted her head.

**"But I know how to swim!"**

**"Not with flippers and fins you don't. Swimming is vastly different when you can breathe underwater. Unfortunately, you'll be treated like a child at school."**

**"Mipha...I am a child."** Humming softly, she places Mila in her tiny basin of a bed that was filled halfway with water, humming a soft tune as Mila slips into a peaceful slumber. Smiling, she places a kiss on Mila's forehead as she slips into her own basin and submerges herself, curled up at the bottom of the pool of water.


	3. ZORA BABY SCHOOOOOL!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In case you couldn't tell, I don't like Revali. Like...at ALL. He's super petty and boastful. So yeah, some Revali hate in this chap.

**"Alright, now just focus on moving your fins in time with your body,"** Mipha instructed to her small friend, Mila. Mila was having a blast figuring out how to swim in her new body. She loved all the new sights and scents and sounds she was able to pick up on with her new senses. If a Hylian looked in on this private scene between the two women, they would think it was a mother teaching her daughter how to swim, it wasn't far from the truth in all honesty. Mipha had stated on their way back from the Healer's room that she felt bad having to treat Mila like a child, having known her in her Hylian form. The smaller girl just dismissed it, saying she really didn't mind. People were treating her in a good way and it was a good way to learn how to socialize.

She never really had the chance to be a child, so now that her form was like this, she was going to work out how everything worked, as much as possible before The Shift happened, in which her body would change overnight to that of its full, adult form. She found she adored smells the most of her other senses. She has really come to enjoy Mipha's calming Sea Salt scent. She found that she didn't smell of really anything, but was told that Tadpoles didn't develop their own scent until The Shift, and until then, they'd smell of their parents. Later that evening, Mila had asked Mipha what she smelled like, and after a quick sniff, responded almost off-handedly with **"Like the salt of the sea, tadpole."  
**

While she understood it was to denote that she was young, she found she loved the nickname nonetheless. It showed her that she was loved, that she had a home. Walking was difficult, but swimming was spectacularly easy once she figured out how to move all her new appendages. Mipha told her that they'd take a few days to teach her how to walk before sending her off to school. It was the night before Mila was to be sent off to school, and she woke up thrashing to a nightmare she couldn't remember. Since her small basin was in Mipha's pool of water, the shaking and rocking of the basin woke her, and she quickly went to check on her little one. Cooing softly, she held Mila, rocking her gently, singing a song that Mila had heard her humming quite a few times throughout the days. 

**"There there, tadpole, I'm here, you're safe, I've got you."** Mila curled into Mipha, whimpering quietly and muttering something that Mipha caught the tail end of.

 **"...mama's scent..."** Instead of the trepidation, she thought she'd feel at hearing Mila call her that, she found herself to be purely elated and happy.

 **"That's right, tadpole, Mama's here, she's got you,"** Mipha said, curling up with her little one and resting towards the top of the pool of water, falling into a peaceful slumber with Mila in her arms.

\------

 **"I can't believe how quick they grow! It feels like just yesterday Sati was just an egg!"** A mother said beside Mipha, all the parents there watching their kids head into class for their first day of school. Mipha's heart tugged when Mila had hidden behind her leg, afraid of all the others around her. With a small hug, and a

 **"Love you, Mama!"** Mipha sent her own little girl off into school, worried about Mila. She hoped she would be treated well.

 **"Lady Mipha, don't worry, she'll be just fine. As a first time mother, I get that it's scary, but we're a community, we watch out for each other. No one will let your daughter come to any harm, don't you worry."** Mipha gave a thankful, if worried, grin to the woman beside her.

 **"Thank you, Fado, that means a lot. She's been looking forward to school the moment she found out it wasn't something she could eat!"** She said, a giggle slipping out of her mouth. Fado just burst into laughter, which surprisingly set the future queen at ease.

**"I'm glad I could help. All any parent wants is to be able to make sure their kid is safe and happy. You'll do a fantastic job, Lady Mipha."**

**\------**

**"Grampa, Grampa! Listen to what they taught us at school today! I learned how to colour!"** Mila said, holding it up to the King. Leaning forward, he took a look and smiled.

 **"That they did! Quite the young artist we have among ourselves!"** He exclaimed with joyous laughter. Ever since her mind seemed to have fully formed into that of the child her body is, she seemed to just radiate happiness. He thanks the goddesses every day for this little blessing in their life.

 **"Mama, Mama! Grampa likes my drawing!"** She said happily, a picture of them together as a family and in her other one, waterproof crayons. Mipha picked her up and set her on her hip, smiling.

 **"I heard, tadpole. Why don't you keep drawing while Mama and Grampa have a talk okei?"** Mipha said to the clear excitement of Mila. Setting the girl down, the little one went to work drawing on the back of her picture while the King and Princess of Zora's domain sat overlooking her work.

 **"She really doesn't remember anything. I do prefer it this way, the less she suffers, the better."** Dorephan said. Mipha nodded.

**"Father...I've gotten every indicator that she's my tadpole, how is that possible?"**

**"Do you remember offering up one of your own eggs for the ritual? We needed a binding agent, something for life to tie to, and you decided your egg would be the safest way. You are her mother, just as Sidon is her uncle. When he returns from exploring, we'll give him what little details he needs, okei?" **Dorephan asked. Mipha nodded slightly. She missed her brother, dearly, and could use his support right now. She was so afraid she would mess things up with Mila. The small Zora was quickly becoming Mipha's favourite part of waking up for the day. She loved hearing her ramble and ask questions about everything. She even listened when Mipha directed her to do things like to leave for things such as school or going home. 

**"Father...Is it bad that she already holds my heart in her tiny hands?"**

**"No, my dear Mipha, that's what it's like being a parent."** He said with a fond smile, remembering the days when he was raising Mipha and then Sidon before his wife passed away. There was a knock at the door to the throne room where the small family was currently residing. In strolled Muzu, his manta ray head always making him look disappointed. He was followed by a tall, muscular, tanned woman, a living rock, a birdman, and a Hylian. When King Dorephan laid eyes on the Hylian woman, he chuckled in his deep voice

 **"Princess Zelda! It's such an honour you bestow on us to make it here safely! You're just in time to meet my granddaughter, Mila!"** He yelled happily. At the mention of strangers, Mila looked up and, seeing new people, ran to hide behind her mother's legs, daring a peek every once in a while. The Hylian Princess was the first to approach. Upon locking eyes with Mipha, she bowed, earning a slightly shorter bow back from the Zora woman. 

**"Lady Mipha, I was unaware you had a child. She must be lovely, being your child."** She says as she kneels and tries to look at the young tadpole.

 **"Forgive me, Princess, Mila is quite a shy child. May I have a moment to talk to my daughter?"** At hearing this, Princess Zelda nods, scooting back, not making herself bigger to avoid scaring the little girl. Mipha kneels next to her daughter and says in a whisper,

 **"Tadpole, it is alright. She's a nice person. She's Mama's friend."** When the Mila hears this, her face went from fear to cautious curiosity in a split second. With a deep breath and a nod, Mila steps around her mother shyly and starts inching towards the blonde Hylian. When Zelda sees the little one inching closer, she opens her arms and smiles gently, letting the little one step forward of her own volition. Mipha could smell the fear on her daughter change to something lighter the closer she got to the other Princess. When she was a step or two away from the woman, Mila stopped and sniffed her, and when she was done she smiled wide with that bright look in her eyes that Mipha loved.

She rushed the remaining distance and wrapped her arms around the woman. **"You smell like pretty flowers! Mama showed me some flowers yesterday and they were so pretty!"** As Zelda stood up, she heard Revali drone on behind her mockingly.

 **"Does the little brat not know any other words than 'pretty'? Sheesh."** Zelda turned to glare at him and just barely stepped out of the way of an enraged Mipha, her usually calm demeanour furious. Within the second the words left bird-brain's beak, Mipha had her famous weapon, the Lightscale Trident pointed at his throat, pressing ever-so-slightly into it.

**"Insult my daughter again, Revali, and I will personally skewer you on my trident. ARE. WE. UNDERSTOOD?"**

**"Really? You think I'm gonna fall for that ploy? You wouldn't start a war over a little girl, you're smarter than that."**

**"TRY. ME."** Mipha snarled. Revali, however, didn't know when to shut up, apparently.

 **"Hell, she's probably not even your ki-guhh!"** Before he could even finish the sentence, he was sent flying with a solid thwack to the face. But it wasn't Mipha who dealt the blow, it was Urbosa. Standing at her full height of six feet, she looked down at him, looming.

 **"That was too low even for you, bird-brain."** When he tried to get up, Urbosa simply held out her hand, fingers ready to snap, shaking her head, and suddenly the energy in the room intensified. Revali knew if he got hit with that, he'd be a goner. The Zora's knew that if the electricity struck any wet surface, they'd all die, and Zelda knew that they needed his archery skills, no matter how foul his mouth. Sighing in defeat, he slumped back against the floor. Daruk spoke up next.

**"C'mon Revali, you scared a little girl. Even a jolly fella like me can't let that slide."**

Mila wasn't really aware of what was going on, but she sensed the danger in the room and immediately started shaking, sending out distress pheromones that her mother instantly picked up on. Dropping her spear entirely, she rushed to her daughter's side and Mila immediately leapt into her mother's arms, crying. Cradling her baby, Mipha cooed to her little girl, singing the notes to what was frequently Mila's lullaby, even rocking her, all to calm her daughter down. Eventually, she stopped crying and fell asleep in her mother's arms, curled into her mother's chest.

 **"Isn't that the most precious thing you've ever seen?"** Daruk said, smiling serenely. It was then that King Dorephan stepped forward. 

**" 'Mipha's Lullaby.' Soti wrote that song for my beloved Mipha when she was born. I'm happy to see it has started its way down to the next generation of my family."** Mipha gave a nod, tears still in her eyes from her daughter's distress. **"Please, Mipha, take Mila and rest, you've both had an eventful day and I'm sure you're exhausted by now."** She smiled sadly at her father, grabbed her spear in one hand and after bowing to Princess Zelda, took her leave to her room, to rest with her baby.

\------

A few hours later, there was a knock on the door meant for non-Zora to use to visit her room. It woke Mipha and Mila up, the younger hiding against her mother's chest in hopes of getting more sleep. Grabbing her spear in one hand, she opened the door with the same hand and pointed the spear at whoever disturbed her child's sleep after everything that had happened that day. When she recognized the blonde hair on the Hylian's head, she lowered her spear after looking around and seeing the rest of the party from earlier minus one bird. Stepping aside, she beckoned them in with her spear, and set it down by the door.

 **"I apologize if we came at a bad time. I just wanted to apologize to you on behalf of today's events. What Revali said went way out of line, and he's being punished as we speak."** At the mention of Revali, Mila's scent spiked in fear again, and Mipha went to easing her daughter down from the fear.

 **"I appreciate it, but speak no further on the matter please, it's upsetting Mila further."** Zelda gave a nod, a firm one, of respect for the Healer in front of her. Urbosa spoke up next, after seeing the girl calm down.

 **"Hello little one, my name is Urbosa. Your Mama and I are friends."** Mila remembered her from earlier, the one who made the mean man stop being mean to Mama. Still too shy to really speak, she tugged Mipha's shoulder to get her attention and pointed at the Amazoness, with a question in her eyes.

 **"All of these people are Mama's friend, tadpole, you can trust them."** She said as she set down Mila to allow her to acclimate to their guests of her own volition. Slowly, she walked (waddled really, her tiny legs being tired from all the exercise today) over to the tanned woman. Taking a sniff, she tilted her head.

 **"You smell spicy!"** She said with a giggle. When Urbosa picked her up and put Mila on her shoulders and stood up, Mila squealed in delight as the tall woman started jogging around the room, Mila holding tight onto her hair. The sight melted Mipha's heart. A sudden splash alerted the room to a sudden visitor. Out of the Zora travel ways came a large shark-headed Zora whose skin was a deep red. When he landed with a dramatic flip and a large grin on his lips, his attention was drawn to the little girl clapping her hands on an Amazoness' shoulders.

The Zora sniffed a moment, and a look of shock appeared on his face. **"Sea...salt?"** He said, astonished, looking over to his sister. As the tiny child let out a yawn, she reached to her Mama and did her little grabby hands as a sign of wanting to be held. Smiling fondly, Mipha walked over and Urbosa gave the tadpole over to her Mama happily, not wanting to keep the little one up. As Mipha took her, Mila snuggled against her chest and fell asleep soundly.

 **"I apologize for being rude, but may I ask you to leave so I may talk to my brother for a little while?"** With happy smiles, they all quietly gave their nightly farewells to the Princess and Prince and left the room. Once the room was empty, she turned to her brother.

 **"Welcome back, Sidon. I didn't expect you so late in the night or I would be more excitable for your return."** He nodded, smiling. He pointed to the small form sleeping soundly away in his sister's arms.

 **"My...neice?"** He asks, his voice breaking a little. She nods. Sidon has always been a sensitive soul, despising when fighting happened because he didn't want anyone to get hurt. He steps closer to get a look at her sleeping face. **"She's so...peaceful. She really is an angel."** Sidon says, tearing up. He has a niece. He has a niece!

 **"We've had an eventful day, little brother. You are welcome to sleep in here with us, I know how protective you are of children, let alone your own niece. I will tell you all the details you wish tomorrow."** Slipping into the water, both of them curl up at the bottom of the pool of water. When Mila starts to fuss in her sleep, Mipha hums her daughter's lullaby and smiles as she calms down. With the small child between them, Sidon and Mipha drift off into a dreamless sleep, protecting the small bundle of joy in between them.

\------

When she woke up, the first thing Mipha did, as she did every morning, was check to see if Mila was still next to her. When she found her, she let out a sigh of relief. Picking up her daughter, she sawm to the surface and was surprised to be greeted by the smell of tea. The events of last night came flooding back.

 **"I didn't wake you up, did I Mipha?"** Mipha smiled and shook her head. He was always a considerate person, and she loved him even more for it.

 **"Not at all, Sidon. Thank you for making tea."** It was at this point that Mila was waking up. Drowsy, she picked up her head and looked at the man looking at her fondly.

 **"Good morning, little one, I'm your uncle Sidon."** Sniffing quietly, she could smell a bit of her mother on him and decided he was safe. He was family!

 **"Sigh...dee. Sighdee!"** Mipha giggled at her child's pronunciation of her brother's name.

 **"It's Side-On, Mila. Try again okei? You got it, baby girl."** Scrunching her face up in concentration, she tried again.

 **"Sigh...dee. Sighdy. Siddy!"** She smiled brightly at her figuring out his name. Sidon wasn't the least bit upset with the nickname his niece gave him. He spoke up when he saw Mipha about to tell her to try again.

 **"I love it! I'm your uncle Siddy!"** He smiled happily at his little niece. **"It's so lovely to meet you Mila."** With a look up to her Mama, she tilted her head and pointed at her uncle. She smiled gently, the ruby red of her lips coming to press a kiss to her forehead as she nodded. With a squeal of pure joy, she lept over to her uncle who barely managed to catch her before she hit the floor. **"Woah there, little Mila. Looks like we've got an acrobat on our hands, sis."** He says, sighing in relief at having caught her in time.

Sidon could see from where he was sitting the mini-anxiety attack she'd just had watching her only daughter plunge to the ground like that.

 **"Mila, sweetie, please don't jump off Mama like that, you could've really hurt yourself."** Mila looked down, upset that she worried her Mama. **"No, no baby girl, Mama's not upset with you. She's scared you were gonna get hurt. Mama really loves you and doesn't want to see you get hurt. Promise to be a little more careful, okei tadpole?"** In return, she received an energetic little grin which succeeded in lifting her spirits.

**"So, sis, about little Mila...**

**“I guess the first thing I wanna ask is where is your mate? They should be here helping you take care of her.”** Sidon said, careful to keep his tone calm as to prevent his niece from being worried. The last thing anyone needed was Mipha going back into protective Mama mode at the moment.

**“There is no mate, brother.”** To say Sidon was shocked by Mipha’s revelation is an understatement.

**“But...How?”**

**“You see, Sidon… While you were gone, Father and I got into a disagreement… He wanted me to look for a mate, have a family. I told him I wasn’t ready, that I wanted to find a partner naturally.** **After our argument, I went for a swim to calm down and took a turn I’d not seen before in Hylia River. After following it down, I saw a peculiar looking Hylian girl. She wasn’t dressed like the other Hylian’s I’ve seen.”** Mipha trailed off some, remembering the event that started all of this, what felt like a lifetime ago.

**“What was she wearing?”** Sidon asked, rocking little Mila and smiling at her giggling.

**“Nothing, which was why it was strange. Hylians tend to be very insecure about being without clothes, but this girl only seemed tired and afraid. When I approached her, we talked for a while, fished, then went back to her home to eat. She taught me something that would end up saving her life.**

**“She was using healing herbs as a way to keep food in a fresh state over time.”** Sidon widened his eyes at this.

**“Wait, if she was doing that...How did it not have any effect on her over time?”** Mipha gave him a sad look before she responded.

**“I don’t know that it didn’t. I don’t think she even realized they were healing herbs. We were ambushed shortly after dinner by Bokoblins riding horses. She held her own against two of them. After I fought off two of them, I impaled the last two on my spear. I thought they were dead, so I turned to see how Leia was doing but…**

**“The last one wasn’t dead. She saw it and tackled me out of the way before I knew what was happening. She ended up getting the spear shoved through her back. Crazily enough, she had the strength left in her to crush the Bokoblin’s skull with only her elbow. When I realized what happened, I brought her on my back through the river here so I could properly treat her wounds.”** Sidon gave her a look that told her what he was about to ask next pained him to do.

**“Sister...I’m hesitant to ask but...Are you sure she didn’t save you simply due to your place as royalty?”** Mipha smiled sadly at this.

**“Actually, I am entirely sure. She didn’t know really much of who I was until three months into her stay of recuperation. I was shocked, and a little worried that if she** **had** **known, that she might have let me die, but knowing her after taking care of her, I realized she saved me just because she had the chance to. She called me her friend, Sidon.”** Mipha said, her tears sliding down her face. Sidon realized his sister was accidentally letting out distress pheromones when Mila squirmed in his arms and starting darting her head around sniffing to find the source. When she saw it was her Mama, she slid off her uncle’s lap, dropping the few feet to the ground, and running over to hug her Mama’s leg.

**“Thank you tadpole, Mama’s feeling all better now thanks to you sweetheart.”** She said, smiling at her daughter and wiping her tears. Trying to climb her mother’s leg, Mila jumped a few times, clinging onto the older woman’s leg. Seeing this made Mipha giggle, and bend down to pick her baby up. When she set her in her lap, Mila hugged her as tight as she could, hoping to make her feel better. Petting her head gently, Mipha smiled at her daughter’s care. When she looked up, Mila asked a question.

**“Hei Mama?”**

**“Yes, tadpole?”**

**“Will you teach Mila how to use a spear, like you do?”** Hearing her ask that surprised Mipha a little. So, she asked her a question in return.

**“And why do you want to learn how to use a spear, little one?”**

**“To help protect people!”** She said triumphantly, little hands on her little hips, smiling widely. Bending down to look her in the eye, Mipha responded.

**“Then let’s get you as good as we can to at swimming and walking so you can learn to use your spear no matter if you’re on land or in the water. What do you say, Mila?”** Smiling brightly, the little girl clapped her hands and giggled excitingly, nodding her head so fast she made herself dizzy. Mipha reached out and held her daughter to her chest, rocking her happily.

\------

A few hours later, Mipha had finished explaining what happened to her brother Sidon.

**“So, she doesn’t remember anything?”** He asked after taking a while to think about everything. Mipha simply shook her head.

**“Nothing. She really is just a child. She’s** **my** **child. Though, I am happy to see she’s kept her sense of justice and courage.”** Sidon nodding along with his sister, smiling happily at the bundle of joy in Mipha’s arms. Suddenly, he looked up and locked eyes with his sister, tone and demeanour shifting from the fun-loving uncle to the serious protector Mipha knew he could be when need be.

**“I promise, Mipha. I won’t let any harm come to her. I will look over her with my life. However, I do plan on getting out of any bad situations with everyone’s lives intact.”** He says, finishing it off with a wink, back to his fun, playful uncle mode. Mipha smiled at him and nodded.

**“Thank you, Sidon. I don’t doubt you’ll look after her. There will be some scrapes and bruises along the way, especially when she goes into training, but we’ll teach her to celebrate those instead of fearing them.”** Their attention was drawn away when little Mila yawned and started rubbing at her eyes with her chubby fists, burrowing into her mother for warmth and safety.  **“I think it’s time for Mila’s nap,”** Mipha said. Sidon smiled lovingly at the sight of his sister taking care of his little niece. Mila tugged at her arm.

**“Mama, can unkle Siddy nap with us?”** Mipha simply looked up at her brother, a question in her eyes. He nodded.

**“Of course I will, little one. Don’t worry, I’ll keep you and your Mama safe.”** Smiling, Mila barely managed the beginning of a nod before slipping into sleep. Mipha’s heart filled to the brim at seeing her daughter’s sleeping face. Making sure to walk gently, Mipha slipped into the water and sunk slowly down to the bottom of the pool, curling up around her little girl.

She stayed awake until a few minutes later, when Sidon came and curled around them both, Mother and Uncle protecting the young girl between them.

\------

It was a month later, while Mila was sitting on her Grampa’s lap drawing him a picture that an unexpected couple visited them in the Throne Room. Mila tugged her Grampa’s arm and pointed at the door.  **“Grampa! People!”** He looked ahead of him to the Throne Room doors and saw nobody.

**“Little Mila, there’s no one there, sweetie.”** Then, suddenly, the doors burst open, a frantic Hylian couple rushing in. When they got to the end of the carpet, they dropped to their knees and begged the royalty in front of them.

**“Please, your majesties, we heard our daughter was last seen here, can you please tell us where she could be?”** The woman cried out. The King sat up straighter.

**“Madame, Mister, what is the name of your child?”**

**“Leia! Her name is Leia, your majesty! We heard she was last seen here a year ago!”** The King’s blood ran cold at this. He was too shocked to realize the weight that slipped off his lap and ran over to the couple.

**“Auntie Leia?! I know where she is!”** Mila said, grabbing one of each of their hands. King Dorephan was about to stop them when Mipha just looked at him and shook her head. She had been talking to her brother when they heard Mila speak. Gripping her spear tighter, Mipha followed the girl with the two Hylians holding her hand and crouching down so they wouldn’t lift her off the floor, her brother right behind her. 

Ever since the ‘Revali Incident,’ as she was coming to call it, a month ago, she hasn’t been seen in public without her spear, it staying almost as attached to her side as her own daughter was. As they went out through the front gates and around to the garden, what the Hylian’s saw broke their hearts. There, in the middle of the garden, was a statue of their daughter. A spear in one hand, a bow in another, and a Bokoblin under her foot. Even though the statue didn’t show any graphic details, enough detail was missing to show she was nude. When they got closer, they saw a plaque on it that reads: **In loving memory of Leia, the Heroine who saved our beloved Princess Mipha and** **her daughter, Princess Mila**. After taking a few minutes to cry, to sob their hearts out at the feet of the statue that sat in the middle of the garden, they turned to the tiny Zora. Hylians were highly unpredictable in her opinion, so Mipha clutched her spear a little tighter in case they try anything.

**“Little one...Are you...Mila?”** The man asked. She nodded happily, unable to understand that they were sad and that people would find her being happy at the moment, mean. Mipha was trying to work with her on being able to tell others' emotions by their actions and words and not just pheromones. When the little one asked why, it was with a small smile that she explained to her daughter that other races don't communicate via pheromones.

**“We are...Were...Leia’s mother and father. To think...she saved two Princesses...She must’ve been a sight to behold.”** It was then that Mipha stepped in.

**“She was. My daughter had just become a tadpole, the form you see her in now, and I was teaching her how to swim. We ended up coming upon where Leia lived, and her being an old friend of mine, we decided to stop by. Little Mila had never seen the forest before, she was so entranced by it.**

**“After we finished eating, we were attacked by Bokoblins. I was able to keep Mila and myself safe, but Leia was on her own. For someone who grew up in the wild, she handled herself with a spear and bow wonderfully.”** The Hylian woman’s eyes grew wide hearing this.

**“I...Why did she grow up in the wild? There are plenty of towns nearby where we left he-”** Before the woman could finish, Mipha was in her face, snarling.

**“You. Did. WHAT?!”** Suddenly, seeing a threat, the man stood up and got in her face.

**“She said we left her! We were young when Lina had her! We weren’t ready to be parents! You would’ve done the same if you were in our sho-”**

**“DO NOT PUT ME IN WITH THE LIKES OF YOU!”** Mipha screamed, interrupting him. Behind her, Sidon was pulling Mila away from her enraged mother to safety, glaring at the Hylians.  **“Do you know how much she struggled because she didn’t have you around?! Do you know how many nightmares she had of you leaving her behind?! I do! I was there for every single one of them! She was my BEST. FRIEND. And you have the nerve to tell me you left her behind on purpose because you weren’t ready?!”** Her voice got dark and scarily calm as she stepped into their space more as she whispered.

**“I** **wasn’t** **ready to be a mother when I found out Mila was to be born. But you know what I did? I sucked it the FUCK up and have given my best for four years to make sure I’m the best damn mother I can be to my little girl. You could’ve left her with the town, or at least not all alone you maniacs.”** Taking a deep breath, she steps back, a harsh glare in her eyes.

**“You, who willingly abandons your own kin, do not deserve to stand in the presence of the statue that marks the fall of a Heroine. Leave, before I FORCE you to.”** As Mipha finished her demand, the man had apparently had enough, as he charged at her with the sword from his belt. When Mipha smelled Sidon’s anger pheromones hit the air, she simply held her free arm out to stop him. As the man swung, she swung the dull end of the shaft of her spear at him, intercepting his swing and smashing her spear shaft into his face, dropping him.

When the woman saw what happened to her husband, she charged with a knife. She could hear Sidon behind her say  **“Geez, Hylians never learn. You just saw how that would turn out, lady.”**

Swirling her spear end over end, she used the blunt end to smash into the hand of the Hylian that was holding the knife, breaking her hand and making her drop it. Using the momentum from her attack, she used the neck of the spear to trip the woman face-first into the stone beneath her. Stepping forward, she put her foot on the woman’s back and pointed her spear snugly against the man’s throat.

**“The ONLY reason you are both still alive is that my daughter does not need to see death so young. If not for her, you’d have died before you got within striking distance of me. Thank her.”** They both mumbled out a quiet thank you. It didn’t even draw Mila’s attention.

**“She didn’t hear you. Again. Her name, her title. You’re speaking to an heiress.”**

Taking a deep breath, they both nearly yelled.

**“Thank you, Princess Mila of the Zora Kingdom for saving our lives!”** Mila looked over and giggled, waving. Then she turned to her Uncle Sidon and started to play wrestle with him, making him laugh heartily. Stepping off the woman, she made the man stand up using her spear.

**“Now. Leave, and don’t ever come back. If there are even** **rumours** **that you were here any other time than today, I’ll put a bounty on your head.”** She stares into their eyes a few seconds each and then escorts them none-too-kindly to the opening of Zora’s Domain.

They are nearly paraded through the streets, every time one of them tries to break away, a check to the back of the leg with the blunt end of a spear from a guard sends them back in line. Mipha made sure to take the main route out of Zora’s Domain so that everyone could see the faces of these people who she despised. Family was everything to the Zoras, and if you betrayed family, you weren’t welcome in Zora’s Domain.

\------

Later that day.

**“Geez sis, you didn’t take prisoners there. I’ve never seen you** **not** **be merciful.”**

**“Sidon, are you suggesting I’d done things differently?”** Mipha quietly asked, still quite peeved.

**“Not at all. If they charged at me, I would’ve ended things in a much more...gruesome way. I’m just surprised you made them pull out Mila’s title and all.”** He gestured to the girl asleep in his arms, tuckered out from all the excitement and play wrestling with her uncle.

**“I don’t like pulling rank like that, but they were upsetting her. She views Leia as her aunt, and while I don’t think she understood what was really going on, she could tell they were making me angry in front of the statue of her aunt. I wasn’t going to let them disrespect my family.”** Mipha finished with a huff. Sidon came over and hugged her carefully, making sure not to squish his niece between the two of them.

**“I’m proud of you, Mipha. A few years ago, you would’ve let them walk all over you.”**

**“I would not have!”** Mipha exclaimed, exasperated.

**“You were kind of a pushover when I was last here. Not when it came to our people or even our family, but to stand up for yourself? You wouldn’t have done it sis.”** Sidon said with a fond smile. This just made Mipha grumble. She was due for a nap today. She tugged his arm gently.

**“C’mon, it’s time for a nap.”**


End file.
